Pulverized-fuel and air feeder and mixer.



G. W. CLENDON.

PULVERIZED FUEL AND AIR FEEDER AND MIXER. APPLICATION FILED IULY I?. I9I4.

Lg., Patented Jan. 22,1918.

3 SHEETS-*SHEET I- G. W. CLENDON.

PULVERIZED FUEL AND AIR FEEDER AND MIXER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I7. |914.

Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

LQNISQS 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G.. W. CLENDDN.

PULVERIZED FUEL AND AIR, FEEDER AND, MIXER.

APPLICATION FILED LLLLY I7. 1914.

WITNESSES lit) sans ani4 f GEORGE W. CLENDON,'OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 LDCOMOTIVE PULVERIZED FUEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

PULVERlZED-FUEL AND AIR FEEDER AND MIXER.

menace.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jian. 22, 191%..

Application led July 17, 1914. Serial No. 851,453.

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pulverized-Fuel and Air Feeder and Mixer, of which improvement the following velocity through the outlet leading to the furnace.

For accomplishing this object,'I provide as the fundamental features, a mixing chamber, means for introducing a blast of air therein, means for feeding the pulverized fuel in the desired quantities into said air current within the chamber, and means for agitating and commingl'ing said elements within said chamber, whereby the fuel is repeatedly subjected to the action of the air current, but is not retarded in its passage through said chamber. The mixing chamberpreferably' hasa tapering or contracted outlet for giving the desired velocity to the mixed combustible, as it is discharged to the furnace. l

Various forms of devices embodying these features may be designed for carrying out my invention, and in the accompanying drawings I have shown several modifications for this purpose.

Fi'ure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a fuel feeding and mixing device embodying my improvement; Fig. 2, a transverse section thereof taken on'the line 2--2; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the mixing chamber showing a slightly modified form of venes; Fig. 4, a similar section showing a separate shaft for operating the'vanes; Fig. 5, a similar section showing another modified form of mixer; Figs. Y6 and 7, a longitudinal section and a transverse section, respectively, showing another modification; and Figs. 8

to 12 inclusive, corresponding sections show ing still other modifications.

As shown in Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a fuel hopper, 1, into which the pulverized fuel is supplied, an air conduit, 8,

having an orifice, 9, for discharging a blast of air in the form of a hollow column into the mixing chamber, 11, feeding means, such as conveyer screw, 2, for delivering the pulverized fuel in predetermined quantities into the mixing chamber through the interior-of the hollow column of the air blast, and an agitating device such as the rotatable vanes. 10, mounted in the mixing chamber on a shaft, 13, secured to the end of the conveyer, a suitable motor, 3, and connecting gears, 4, 5, 6, and 7 being employe-l -for driving the feeding device. The mixing chamber is provided with flaring walls converging toward the outlet, 12, which is mmnected by a suitable tube-or conduit with a furnace.

Upon entering the mixing chamber from the conveyer, the pulverized fuel falls by gravity into the blast or column of air entering through the orifice, 9, and a portion of the fuel is thus mixed with the air and carried bythe blast directly through the mixing chamber to the outlet, 12. The other portion of the pulverized fuel Which falls through the air blast is then taken up by lthe revolving vanes, 10, and carried around and upward until it is again precipitated into the bla-st or current of air whereupon other portions of fuel are mixed with the air and carried to the outlet. This action is repeated continuously during the operation of the device, until all of the -fuel introduced is brought into intimate contact with the air fuel casing or conduit terminate at a point close to the air blast orifice at the inner end of the mixing chamber, and that the rotatable vanes should also be located directly at the end of said fuel conduit and extend out radially through said air column, whereby such portions of the pulverized fuel as may fall through the air column are immediately taken up by the revolving vanes and not allowed to settle or accumulate: at any point l to obstruct or clog up the mixing chamber.

In some instances, it may be advantageous togive the intermingled blast and fuel a whirling motion, and for this purpose the agitating vanes, 10, may be curved or placed at an angle to the longitudinal axis, as indicated inFig. 3. They may also be driven by a shaft 13, separate from the conveyer, and at a different speed if desired, as shown in Fig. 4.

'As shown in Fig. 5, the agitating device is in the form of a hollow shell, 10a, which may conform to the flaring walls of the mixing chamber, and if desired, may also be provided with vanes, "10", upon its inner surface.

In the construction shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9, the current of air instead of being 1ntroduced as a blast under pressure, is in duced by a suction fan, 10, mounted within the mixing chamber on a separate shaft, 13a, which may be driven at the desired speed. In this case, the fan serves not only to induce the currentl of "air, but also as the agitating device to cause the thorough commingling of the air and fuel. As yshown in Figs. 8 and 9, the agitating shell, 10a, having blades, 10", is also employed for assisting in the mixing of the air and fuel.

,. 11, is similar to that of Fig. 1, except that- The modification shown in Figs. 10 and an additional air "supply conduit, 8, having a series of perforations, 9a, is employed for introducing a furtherl su ply of air in line with'the outer portion o the agitating vanes, 10, and thereby assists in the mixing operation. As shown in Fig. 12, the Vanes are dispensed with, and the air jets, 9b, from .p the additional air supply,.8, are directed at an angle into the mixlno chamber, to serve as an agitating means fbr assisting in the commingling of the air and fuel therein. In all of these modications it will be noted that the agitating means o erates to assist in the thorough commingling of the fuel and the air in the mixing-chamber, but does not -retard'the passage of the fuel therein. In the various modifications in which a rotatable device .is employed for commingling the fuel and air in the mixing chamber, it will be noted that the axis `of rotation is substantially parallel with the directionof the air blast, and in the modification shown inFigs. 1, 4 and 10, the blades or vanes of the agitating device are arranged in planes also parallel with said axis, so as not to oppose or retard the passage of the mixture in `said chamber. In Figs. 3, 6 and 8, the vanas are curved in .such direction as to assist the I passa e of the mixture to the chamber.

Wh1le, according to the preferred conall the way around, since, for structural or other reasons, 'it may be interrupted by bridge pieces at certain portions, or may be formed Ain other suitable shapes, ifdesired.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In a pulverized fuel apparatus, the combination of a mixing chamber havingl a dischar e outlet, an air conduit having an orifice for discharging a hollow column of air .into said chamber, a fuel conduit discharging within the hollow air column and terminating at the inner end of said chamber, means for feeding pulverized fuel at a predetermined rate through said fuel conduit, and a non-retarding rotatable device having its axis parallel with the air column and located at the end of the fuel conduit for agitating and commingling the fuel and air in said chamber.

2. In a pulverized fuel apparatus, the combination of a mixing chamber having a discharge outlet, an air conduit having an orifice opposite said outlet, for discharging a hollow column of air into said chamber, a fuel conduit having its discharge end within the hollow air column at the inner end of -said chamber, means for feeding pulverized fuel at a predetermined rate through said conduit and into the hollow column of air,

and a non-retarding means located at the end of the fuel conduit for agitating and l{cpmmingling the fuel and air in said cham- 3. In a pulverized fuel apparatus, the combination of a mixing chamber having a discharge outlet, an airgconduit having an orifice opposite said outlet, for discharging a hollowcolumn of air into said chamber, .a fuel conduit having its discharge end within the hollow air column at the inner' discharge end within the hollow air column at the inner end cf said chamber, means for feeding pulverized fuel at a predetermined 130 naeaeaa air into said chamber, a fuel conduit discharging within the hollow air column at the inner end of said chamber, a conveyer for feeding pulverized fuel through said conduit,- and a non-retarding rotatable de-v vice driven by the conveyer and located at the end of the fuel conduit for agitating and ommingling the fuel and air in said cham- 6. In a pulverized fuel apparatus, the combination of a mixing chamber having a discharge outlet, an; air conduit having an orifice for discharging a hollow column of air into said chamber, a fuel conduit discharging within the hollow air column at the inner end of said chamber, a screw conveyer for feeding pulverized fuel through said conduit, and a plurality of non-retarding rotatable vanes mounted on the shaft of the conveyer at the end of the fuel conduit for agitating. and commingling the fuel and air .in said chamber.

7. In a pulverized fuel apparatus, thev combination of a mixing chamber having a discharge outlet, an air conduit having anY orifice for discharging a blast of air into said chamber., means for feeding pulverized fuel at a predetermined rate into the air blast in said chamber, a non-retarding "means for agitating and commingling the4 fuel'and airin said chamber and an addin combination of a mixing chamber having a discharge outlet, an air supply means having an orifice adapted to dlscharge a hollow column of air into said chamber, means for feeding pulverized fuel at a predetermined rate within the hollow air column into said chamber, a non-retarding means for agitating and comming-ling the fuel and air in said chamber, and an additional air supply means having orifices located around the main air supply and discharging into'said chamber.

9. In a "pulverized fuel apparatus, the combination of a mixing chamber having a discharge outlet, an airpsupply means having an orifice adapted to discharge a hollow column of air into said chamber, means for feeding pulverized fuel at a predetermined rate within the hollow air column into said chamber, an additional air supply means having orifices located around themain air supply and discharging into said chamber, and a rotatable mixing device located in said air currents within said chamber.

10. In a pulverized fuel apparatus, the combination of a mixing chamber having a discharge outlet, an air conduit having an orifice for discharging a hollow column of air into said chamber, a fuel conduit discharging within the hollow air column vat the inner end of said chamber, means for feeding pulverized fuel at a predetermined rate through said fuel conduit, and a plurality of non-retarding rotatable vanes 1ocated at the end of said fuel conduit Iand extending out radially through said-hollow air column for agitating and commingling the fuel and air in said chamber.

GEORGE w. cnnnnon.

Witnesses:

EMILY L. MYERS, alarmenA H. WHLETT.

litt 

